ChatterBank1 min ago
scientific terminology in bio/chem
How come biology and chemistry has a different terminology for the same word?
I even got told that giving the answer hydrophobic on my chemistry test was wrong because it was a biology word not a chemsitry word! But they both meant the same thing, and I used hydrophobic because I knew that meant the same thing but couldn't think what my chemistry teacher had told me, and still can't now.
Maybe factor could shine some light onto this . . .
I even got told that giving the answer hydrophobic on my chemistry test was wrong because it was a biology word not a chemsitry word! But they both meant the same thing, and I used hydrophobic because I knew that meant the same thing but couldn't think what my chemistry teacher had told me, and still can't now.
Maybe factor could shine some light onto this . . .
Answers
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No best answer has yet been selected by mollykins. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Perhaps the IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology (Gold Book) is outdated?
http://goldbook.iupac.org/H02907.html
...although the Royal Society of Chemistry, a learned society for "advancing the chemical sciences", appears to have no qualms with the use of the term.
http://www.rsc.org/
http://goldbook.iupac.org/H02907.html
...although the Royal Society of Chemistry, a learned society for "advancing the chemical sciences", appears to have no qualms with the use of the term.
http://www.rsc.org/
mollykins, your chemistry teacher is very mistaken. Hydrophobic is a word that is used in both chemistry, biology and biochemistry. While it's probably used more in biological sciences, the concept is something that is taught to chemistry "A" levels students as well as those undertaking a chemistry degree.
I think you and I have discussed before the shortcomings of your teachers and to my mind, this is another one. Where is your school getting them from? These people should really make every effort to get their facts right.
Here's what we'll do: the next time your chemistry teacher tells you that hydrophobic is inappropriate to use in chemistry, ask your teacher "then can you explain to me what these hydrophobic colloids I've read about really are?" A "hydrophobic colloid" is a term that all chemistry graduates should know about.
You can also tell him/her that you've read on the internet that iron (iii) hydroxide Fe(OH)3 forms a hydrophobic colloid in water. Ask if it's true and watch the reaction..
I think you and I have discussed before the shortcomings of your teachers and to my mind, this is another one. Where is your school getting them from? These people should really make every effort to get their facts right.
Here's what we'll do: the next time your chemistry teacher tells you that hydrophobic is inappropriate to use in chemistry, ask your teacher "then can you explain to me what these hydrophobic colloids I've read about really are?" A "hydrophobic colloid" is a term that all chemistry graduates should know about.
You can also tell him/her that you've read on the internet that iron (iii) hydroxide Fe(OH)3 forms a hydrophobic colloid in water. Ask if it's true and watch the reaction..
That's a great idea mollykins. I don't encourage provoking a teacher but when the teacher misinforms a student over factual issues, I think the teacher should be challenged.
In recent years, academic staff at universities are having to literally re-educate undergraduate students as they often have a misunderstanding of some key concepts due to poor quality teaching at school or insufficient grounding in a subject..
In recent years, academic staff at universities are having to literally re-educate undergraduate students as they often have a misunderstanding of some key concepts due to poor quality teaching at school or insufficient grounding in a subject..
Prof.. in the context of identifying common gases by their physical characteristics my chemistry teacher was sufficiently correct. Having over my career spent many happy hours calibrating oxygen probes I can only say although oxygen has limited solubility in water it does what little it can do, very well and very frustratingly.
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